A Husband for Margaret by Ruth Ann Nordin Page A

been a
month.”
    “ Well...yes...but that
hardly seems like enough time.”
    She giggled. “It is though. I missed my
monthly flow. I was supposed to get it yesterday, but it’s still
not here.”
    “ You might be
late.”
    “ No.” She waved her hand and
shook her head. “I’ve never been late.” Grabbing Margaret’s arm,
she squealed, “Isn’t this exciting? Maybe you’ll soon be expecting
too! Then we’ll have our children together.”
    Margaret’s eyes grew wide in horror.
Her gaze darted to Doug and Bob and she thought of the two sleeping
inside the house. Oh goodness. She was doing good to handle the
ones she already had. The last thing she needed was another
one!
    Jessica gave a contented sigh and sat
back in the swing. “You must have a wonderful time out
here.”
    It took her a moment to respond as she
thought over her friend’s statement. “It is wonderful,” she
admitted, glancing at the pillowcase in her hands. She recalled how
excited the boys were to see that they were going to have their
very own pillowcases. She smiled at the memory. “They are terrific
children.” And they were. They didn’t knowingly get into trouble
and did all they could to help her. “But sometimes, I get
overwhelmed. It’s a lot of work.”
    “ I don’t doubt
it.”
    “ It’s exhausting at times. I
don’t regret my decision, but I don’t know if I could handle
another one.”
    Jessica placed her hand on her arm and
squeezed it. “God won’t give you anymore than you can
handle.”
    “ You weren’t here a couple
days ago when that horrible Miss Potter, Connie James, and Maureen
Brown insinuated that I was a horrible mother.”
    “ Miss Potter? Didn’t she go
back home?”
    “ Not yet. She thinks I’ll
take off running and leave her with Joseph.”
    “ Why, that’s
horrible!”
    “ I saw her at the park an
hour ago, probably seeing if I was there to badger.” Her cheeks
flushed with a mixture of shame and anger. She purposely avoided
the park just because she didn’t want another confrontation, and
she couldn’t remember a time in her life when she let anyone keep
her at home. “I wish she would go. Joseph ran into her yesterday
and suggested she return to Ohio, but she’s taken a job cleaning
houses.” Her frown deepened. “I wish I knew what I could do to get
rid of her.”
    Jessica sighed and patted her hand.
“I’m sorry, Margaret.”
    “ Why? It’s not your
fault.”
    “ You know what I mean. I
hate to see you upset.”
    She pulled the needle through the
pillow case and shrugged. “I thought my problems would be over when
I finally married, but who can anticipate a Debra Potter?” She
sighed and glanced at her friend. “You’re lucky that Tom didn’t
have any other women chasing him.”
    “ How were you to know this
would happen?”
    She couldn’t know, she realized.
Neither could Joseph. What other woman made the trip across the
country to pursue a man who didn’t want her? In many ways, Debra
spooked her. “That woman needs another man to latch
onto.”
    “ She needs someone she can
control,” Jessica added. “Then she can spend all her time bending
him to her will.”
    “ Joseph would never allow
it. Don’t get me wrong. He’s a wonderful man, but I can’t see him
letting anyone dictate his life for him.” Which was exactly the way
a man should be. How else could he be the head of the household?
And since he managed to lead with gentleness and care, Margaret
certainly had no complaints. “He’s worth it though. I mean, having
Debra lurking around, just waiting for me to bolt out of here. It
isn’t what a wife dreams of, but if this is the worst of it, I
suppose I’m doing pretty good.”
    Jessica looked amused.
    Margaret furrowed her eyebrows.
“What?”
    “ You were looking at the
glass half full instead of half empty. I never thought I’d see the
day when that happened.”
    Margaret playfully swatted her friend
on the arm. “Oh, really. I’m not that